Elizabeth Travalent’s new shop is a good fit for the City Market, selling locally made products, such as art works, clothing, jewelry, and furniture.

Josie’s is not only surrounded by other local retail and restaurants, consumers come to the City Market seeking that local flavor.

Travalent had been in the restaurant business for about 15 years – starting as a teenager - and needed a change of pace. Retail is not only more laid-back, it allows her to showcase wares made by her family. That includes jewelry she makes with her sister, Linda Travalent, under the Lammergeier Natural Jewelry label (even some leather bracelets made from recycled belts), end tables and plant stands made from vintage wood and tree branches by her father, and pottery by her step-father.

A local photographer, Bridget Patton, puts her works on wood wall hangings and magnets, mostly art with a Kansas City theme or tie-in, including the Western Auto Building, Union Station, and university and professional team logos and mascots. Another local artist designs unique pins and T-shirts with zodiac signs. The shop also carries dresses and crocheted scarves and hats by local designer BMDesigns, along with greeting cards, eyeglass neck straps, seashells made into candle holders, and grocery bags made from recycled T-shirts.

Travalent named the shop after her grandmother, Josephine.

“She has been a major part of my life, my whole life,” Travalent said. “My mom, a teacher, had to go back to work six weeks after I was born and she took care of me. I was with her all day. I ended up moving in and taking care of her at the end of her life.”

Brookside Berbiglia

Changes are coming for the longtime Berbiglia Wine & Spirits store in Brookside.

Joe Zwillenberg, owner of the Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill, purchased the 7,000-square-foot building at 21 W. 63rd St. in late 2012. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Plans call for a major remodeling that could start as early as April, pending city approvals. A new entrance would be put in on the building’s west side facing its parking lot.

The building will be reconfigured so that Berbiglia will operate a similar-sized store on the south side., while Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches signed a lease last week to open on the north side of the building. The property has a parking lot with 28 spaces to accommodate the two operations.

Berbiglia has been operating in the Brookside area for nearly 60 years, expanding several times before taking its current space in the mid-1980s, said Jack Bondon, president of Berbiglia. But he said the building had been for sale for two or three years and needed upgrading.

The location, which is the chain’s top grossing store in retail sales, will remain open during the remodeling.

Zwillenberg grew up in the area and rode his bike to his first job at Baskin-Robbins, just up the way from his new property.

“I love the restaurant business. I love real estate also and I think this is a great piece,” he said.

Jimmy John’s is opening several area locations in Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park and Shawnee.

New State Line Wendy’s

When the Wendy’s restaurantat 7600 Wornall Road closed in late 2011 after nearly 25 years in the Waldo area , a company spokeswoman said the corporate-owned operation would relocate nearby in 2012. It took a bit longer than that but a new location is set to open at 79th Street and State Line Road, between CVS/pharmacy and Culver’s, with a tentative address as 7933 State Line Road.

A small strip center was torn down recently to make way for the new restaurant.

Wendy’s confirmed the location but said an opening date will depend on city approvals and the type of Wendy’s restaurant that will open on the site.

According to Chain Store Age, a trade publication, Wendy’s has been rolling out a new “bold, sleek, ultra-modern look” that includes new lounge seating with fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi and digital menu boards.

Reader question

•  What’s the scoop on Famous Dave’s BBQ going into the old TGI on 39th in Independence?

Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que had hoped to open in late spring or early summer in the spot at 17700 E. 39th St., Independence, but is now looking at a September opening.